“We were on the plane about an hour, having dinner, and then something fell on my head, so I grabbed it. I was hanging onto it,” Bell said in a Skype interview. “It was lucky that it hit my nail more than my skin I think, so maybe my thumbnail saved me a little bit.”

United apologized and offered Bell and his wife a credit for a future flight.

As a precaution, crews also checked the airplane for a possible infestation.

“Our crew immediately consulted with a MedLink physician on the ground who provided guidance throughout the incident and assured our crew that it was not a life-threatening matter. Medical personnel met the aircraft after it arrived in Calgary,” United said in a statement.